


will you stay here with me

by JasmineAlto



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Married Life, Multi, Promptis - Freeform, everyone sorta lives, fuckthatending, fuckthisendingtoo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-28
Updated: 2017-03-05
Packaged: 2018-09-27 11:38:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10018826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JasmineAlto/pseuds/JasmineAlto
Summary: Snapshots of Noct and Luna's married life.-----Eventually, Phoebus’ first word was “kwek”. She never heard Noctis laugh that hard in years.-----She wonders what memories her husband liked to replay on beautiful nights like this.





	1. Chapter 1

While the others made themselves comfortable in camp, Noctis stared at the stars that hung across the moonlit sky. 

“You have a responsibility as the future King of Lucis, Noctis. Always remember this.” His father never failed to remind him of this inconvenient truth since he was a child. He was born with responsibilities that he could never even consider turning his back on.

“Hey Noct! Look at the photos I took today!” exclaimed Prompto, eager to push away the frown that had taken over the Prince’s face. Noctis looked over Prompto’s shoulder at the little memories he captured of the day, and ignored the tug in his heart. 

“Maybe you should turn this into a profession man.” 

Many years later, during bright starry nights or when he cannot sleep, he would replay their time together. 

He turned his back on childhood dreams. He didn’t entertain dreams of a future he could not make into reality. 

If there was one thing he and Luna had in common, it was their dedication to fulfil the duties they were born to. 

——————

Over the years, Lunafreya got to know her husband. 

When he could no longer bear the responsibilities of the day, he would sneak to the pond in the gardens, feed the koi fish, bask in the rays of sunlight for an hour, and head back to the throne room. Eventually, he began to grow a spattering of freckles around his nose. 

Sometimes he flinches when he walks into the throne room, as if he sees ghosts that he would rather not see. 

If he has a choice, he never takes the train. Too many bad memories, he says. 

When he cannot sleep, he would head to Phoebus’ room, pick him up from his crib, gather him into his arms and sit on the chair across the large window that allowed moonlight to stream in. Sometimes she would hear him spin tales of his adventures with his friends while their child snuggled into his arms. Other times, he just looked at their little blonde son and said nothing. 

When she told him she missed Tenebrae, he had sylleblossoms planted all over her private garden. 

When Prompto heard Phoebus was finally born, he took time off from his travels and visited Insomnia for a week. He brought with him a toy chocobo. If one pressed it, it would let out a little kwek. It was Phoebus’ favorite toy. Eventually, Phoebus’ first word was “kwek”. She never heard Noctis laugh that hard in years. 

 

——————

They had a hard time conceiving Phoebus. She knew he tried his best. Often times, she encouraged him to close his eyes. When she was finally with child, they both sighed with relief. 

When they were in the safety of their bedroom, he took her hand and nuzzled it with his cheek. 

“I’m sorry Luna.” 

“I’m sorry too Noct.” 

They both sacrificed and lost so much. But they did so gladly, loving each other fiercely. They would face their days together, living for those who had died. 

——————

She always had Nyx Ulric’s daggers strapped to her thigh, at all times. She didn’t know how to use them, but she liked to pretend he was still here, berating her for her dedication to her duties. 

She draws on his strength and loyalty, particularly on difficult days when the council tested her patience. 

On nights when the stars didn’t hide behind clouds, she would take the elevator to the rooftop and pretend Nyx was there, silently watching over her. 

She wonders what memories her husband liked to replay on beautiful nights like this. 

——————

 

When Prompto Argentum’s death anniversary arrived, Noctis would visit Wiz Chocobo post with Gladiolus and Ignis. Once, she had asked him why do they go there. 

“We scattered his ashes there because it was his favourite place.”


	2. I run my hands through what's left

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Do you believe in other universes?" Noct murmured.

Prompto was apprehensive about seeing Noctis again. It had been almost twenty years since Noctis had reclaimed the throne, and fifteen years since he had last seen him. The last time he felt anxiety like this was when he was building up the courage to talk to Noctis for the first time. The King had a way of making him feel like his stomach was a rollercoaster. He wished Juniper was here, but his ‘loyal’ husky didn’t want to leave Cindy’s side as she worked. Traitor. He made a mental note to buy the dog some more treats before they headed to Altissia, knowing he would be uneasy with the sea travel. Currently, he was waiting for Noctis in a booth at Takka’s, which was now being run by a young, curly haired man named Jon. He looked a bit like Talcott. Prompto finished off his beer and signalled for another. It was a slow morning.

He was having his Jeep serviced by Cindy. Normally, he wouldn’t come to Hammerhead, since it was too close to Insomnia for his liking. However, his Jeep was in bad condition after a rogue Hellhound had knocked it over and the only person he knew that could trust to fix it up and leave his Jeep with for a couple of weeks while they were in Altissia, was none other than Cindy.

To his mounting distress, Cindy had informed the others that he was in Hammerhead. He received a message from Noctis- the first one in years and he couldn’t believe he was still using the same number- that he was coming over and to meet him at Takka’s. The cellphone lay on the table and he stared at it, trying to get it to burst into flames. No mention of the others coming by, which meant that there would be no buffers and no possible means for him to avoid questions he would rather not answer. His hands fiddled with his phone, and began to spin it around like a bottle.

He sighed. He was way too old for butterflies to be fluttering around in his stomach. He resorted to imagining the butterflies being shoo’ed away from him with Juniper’s help.

“I guess Ignis wasn’t lying when he said you got a tattoo.” Those butterflies attacked his stomach with a vengeance. Noctis sat down across him, similarly dressed to his father all those years ago. The phone eventually stopped spinning and pointed at Noctis. Promto’s palms began to get sweaty.

“You know, friends usually greet each other instead of almost giving them a heart attack!”

“Friends usually say goodbye to one another before they leave instead of just disappearing without a word.”

Prompto couldn’t stop nervous laughter from bubbling out of his mouth. “Well, you know I’m not one for goodbyes.” Noctis’ face still hadn’t relaxed. His posture was straight. He looked every bit the regal king his father was. He wondered if one’s humour dissolved if one had to rule a country.

“Especially with me?” Noctis looked at him square in the eyes. He was being ruthless tonight. Prompto looked out the window, getting more and more uncomfortable around his old friend as each second passed. He tried to see if anyone had come with him but since he couldn’t see anyone, perhaps the he had come alone? That was strange. When he was at the Citadel, he was rarely alone.

“Here’s your beer Sir. Can I get you anything, Your Highness?” Jon had amazing timing. Prompto gratefully accepted the new drink. Noctis smiled at the boy and brought out some gil.

“A beer as well, please.” Jon was much faster with Noctis’ drink. Royalty has some perks. Prompto tried to divert the conversation to a less awkward route. He forced himself not to check if his hair was alright.

“Are Ignis and Gladio still fussing over you like an old married couple?”

“Nothing has changed in that department.”

“Good to know. How are Phoebus and Luna?”

“Stop changing the subject.”

Prompto took another swig of beer. Noct still hasn’t touched his. Prompto thought maybe he should have just abandoned the Jeep after the attack. He and Juniper could be on their way to Altissia right now, instead of being forced into this situation. He realised though, that he has been running from this long enough. He was fifty, damn it. Not that he liked to remind himself of that. He tried to stop counting the years after forty.

“I got the tattoo about a year after leaving Insomnia. It was during my first job. Photographing the last traditional tattoo artist in Lucis. She was a frail old woman. I didn’t even choose this. She chose it in behalf of me. Hurt like a bitch.”

“I saw the pictures. Why is it a black band around your arm?”

“It signifies mourning. She said that I could put all my suffering and painful memories on it, instead of carrying it with my soul. She said that it was my burden to bear but if I carried it with my soul for too long, I risk bringing all of it with me to my next life.”

Noct finally looked away from him then and finally took a careful sip of his drink. Time seemed to slow down. Pain tended to do that. It seemed to want to prolong your suffering. It held you with all its might by your arms and made you feel like you could never move away. Prompto took a good look at his old friend. He wondered if they could be considered strangers again.

Fifteen years. In that time, Noctis looked like he carried the world on his shoulders. He was reminded of the day they faced Titan, and how his hands shook with fear as he captured an image of the astral. That was such a long time ago. Noctis had grown out his greying hair, so it reached his shoulders now. He hadn’t kept the beard. His eyes were laced with age and fatigue. The Ring of the Lucii gleamed on his hand. To Prompto, it was a glorified shackle from the astrals. He closed his eyes, banishing away selfish thoughts. 

“Do you believe in other universes?” mumbled Noctis. It was so quiet, Prompto almost missed it. Noctis wasn’t looking at him, instead staring at the cold bottle of beer in his hands.

“Why?” Noctis slowly raised his head. His eyes held his own. They were filled with a quiet strength that had weathered thousands of storms. He’d seen those same eyes stare at the night sky for countless of nights during their travels. 

“I believe that in this universe, we were born with stars lucky enough to have found one another but unlucky enough where we can’t end up together.” Prompto couldn’t breathe. He wanted to scream and shout. He wanted to shoot at the sky and hope that he somehow managed to graze one of the astrals and give them a taste of the pain he and Noctis have had to endure.

“When I’m feeding the koi fish, I imagine that in another life, you and I are happy together. That I managed to find you this time, and you wouldn’t have grown up alone.”

“Please stop.” Prompto whispered.

“I would have asked you to spend the rest of your life with me, instead of wondering where you are, who you’re with, and if you’re happy.” he continued. Noctis had come here not knowing what to say, but as soon as he started, everything that he’s thought and felt over the years began rising to the surface.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t choose you in this life, but I want you to know that I wanted to.” Prompto closed his eyes. The pain was overwhelming. He could only imagine what Noctis was feeling. He looked so tired that he wanted to just hold him and tell him that he was safe here with him. He hoped with all his might that he would be able to have the courage to say the feelings he had buried a long time ago. The last time he saw Noctis was when he visited for Phoebus’ birth. He was sitting by the pond in the gardens and Noctis joined him. They split a loaf of bread and fed the koi fish together. That day was perfect. He was telling Noct about Juniper, the dog he had adopted after he followed him to Costlemark Tower and helped him fight off some gross insects outside it. Then it just hit him. Maybe he was a little wiser, or maybe he was finally insane? But once he absorbed the way Noctis looked at him and listened to his every word, he realised that perhaps his feelings were not one-sided. The next day, he left at dawn.

“I’m sorry I left, but I no longer knew how to live in the same area as you. I could never ask you to abandon your responsibilities, just as I could never ignore how much I wanted to be with you. I understand that they are interwoven into who you are and I respect that. Your suffering is my suffering. When everything fell apart all those years ago, I stood by you. Your happiness is my happiness. When I saw the way you looked at Phoebus and your devotion to making everyone’s lives better, I knew that not everything in this life is painful. He is everything bright and pure, Noctis. You and Luna have given him the most beautiful inheritance. Parents who love him and would do anything for him.” He continued and tried to put into words the conflicting feelings he has tried to make sense of for years.

“I thought that leaving Insomnia would make the pain easier to ignore. The constant change allowed me to focus on photography, and it allowed me to capture and show the world how so many people’s lives were made for the better because of you. They didn’t know how much you had to go through to give them this light. I didn’t want to allow them to forget.”

“I knew I had to go on my own this time. It allowed me to heal some parts of me. The pain I was feeling, the loneliness and the constant sense of loss made me believe that I was a failure for so long. I was wrong. Eventually, I understood that all of this was the bittersweet taste of being alive.” 

The overwhelming canyon of distance that they had carved between them over the years didn’t feel as excruciating anymore. It was the kind one marvelled at, despite its lonely shadows and jagged rocks. That day, the sun’s rays had reached depths that hadn’t felt sunlight in years. Prompto and Noctis held each other’s gaze for a few moments longer. Prompto wanted to prolong his time with Noctis just a bit more. Just a few more moments. Noctis reached out and encased one of Prompto’s hands with his. Their hands stayed intertwined like that and Noctis wouldn’t help but notice how their hands were worn with age. It had taken them so long. They walked out of the diner, just like old times.

Prompto and Juniper watched Noctis drive away. Juniper licked his master’s hand, hoping to bring a smile onto his face. He didn’t like it when his master was sad. The scent even stuck to his clothes. Prompto petted Juniper’s head then looked to the small dot that eventually disappeared from his sights. 

“Til the next one, Noct.”


End file.
